ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday concluded its meeting without reaching a decision on the allocation of reserved seats and the Senate elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), ARY News reported.
The meeting, chaired by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja, focused on preparations for the KP Senate elections and the distribution of reserved seats. Despite detailed briefings, no concrete outcome was achieved.
The commission, along with its members, the Secretary, and other relevant officials, deliberated on the allocation of reserved seats. The ECP has scheduled another meeting for Wednesday under the leadership of CEC Sikandar Sultan Raja to continue discussions.
Reserved Seats Dispute
The issue of reserved seats gained prominence after over 80 independent candidates, backed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), secured victories in the February 8 elections. However, the PTI failed to submit its list of candidates on time, leading the ECP to deny the allocation of reserved seats in a 4-1 majority decision on March 4.
The reserved seats for women and minorities were subsequently distributed among other political parties. PTI-backed candidates challenged the decision in the Peshawar High Court (PHC), which upheld the ECP’s ruling. This prompted the candidates to escalate the matter to the Supreme Court.
On July 12, a 13-member Supreme Court bench, led by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, overturned the PHC’s verdict, ruling in favor of PTI’s eligibility for reserved seats by an 8-5 majority decision.
KP Senate Elections Postponed
The ECP also addressed the delay in KP Senate elections, which were postponed on April 2 due to an oath-taking scandal and a related PHC judgment. Elections were initially scheduled for 48 Senate seats across Pakistan, including two from Islamabad, 12 each from Punjab and Sindh, and 11 each from KP and Balochistan.
While Senate elections proceeded in the National Assembly and other provincial assemblies, the 11 seats in KP remain unresolved. The ECP aims to address these outstanding issues in its upcoming meetings.
